This Time Around
by AlternativeRocker
Summary: Two years after Red John is caught and killed, Jane sees Lisbon in a cafe. Rubbish summary of this one-shot but please read. Jane/Lisbon friendship.


**A/N: Back with my second Mentalist one shot. Criticise this if you want in a review. I just wanted to write something else for the show. I agree with the people who say the whole Jisbon or Jello argument will eventually tear us apart so from now on I'm just going to put Jane/Lisbon. This really isn't that much of a romance one, more just friendship and if you're confused by any of it, just ask for me to explain :)**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own The Mentalist or any of it's characters. Bruno Heller is your man for that!**

Patrick Jane was standing in a cosy coffee shop. He had been there for half an hour and so had the woman that had her back to him, he had been watching her the whole time. She hadn't stood up or turned around yet so he didn't have a clue what she looked like. Then he saw her collect her bag from under the table and get some money to pay for her order. The mystery woman quickly flicked her head to the right and he got the chance to see her face. Only it wasn't a stranger that he saw, she had the green eyes that he had never forgot and the pouting lips that never ceased to get his attention. He went over behind her and covered her eyes with his hands,

"Teresa, guess who."

She recognised the voice immediately, "Jane?!" He sat down opposite her and gently smiled,

"Hey how's life?"

"Okay. Yours?"

"I've missed being part of the CBI."

"Why did you leave without as much as a goodbye then?"

"Because I had promised to get revenge for my wife and daughter and when it came to it, I couldn't. You had to do pull the trigger."

Two years previous on one of his murders, Red John hadn't been as careful as usual and the team had been able to follow him. Unbeknown to Lisbon at the time, Jane had already found him on a rooftop and was pointing a gun at his head. Red John spent the time tormenting Jane about the murders of his wife and daughter and Jane had broke down in tears, dropping the gun just as Lisbon came into view, killing Red John on the spot. Before Lisbon had had time to think, Jane had gone, no trace had been left behind. That was the last vision that Lisbon had of Patrick Jane; sitting on the cold concrete with his head in his hands and a gun lying by his side.

"So you left because you were ashamed? Two years and not a word!"

"I know. I do regret that, but I had to go away. How are the team; Rigsby and Van Pelt together yet?"

"Yeah for the past few months they've been going out for dinner and such like."

"And you have been turning a blind eye? I didn't think you would be willing to do that."

"But they're so cute, it's hard to reprimand them."

"How's Cho? And my dear Lisbon, are you getting soft?"

"Same as always, nothing different. No! But you should see the way they act around each other."

"And yourself? Found any dashing young men to elope with?"

"No. I've been more or less the same but I have to admit, the first couple of months without you were hard. It still is actually quite crap not seeing you lying on that stupid couch every morning or trying out you skills on the team when you got bored."

"So you've missed me?"

"A little."

"I like your hair by the way." Lisbon had got her hair cut shorter than it had ever been before. It wasn't as short as what Jane had suggested years previous but it was a lot different, that's why Jane had not recognised her to begin with.

"Thanks. It's been like this for about a year now. It's a lot easier to deal with when I wake up as well." She paused to run her hand through her hair, "I'm not prying or anything but where's the ring?" She had noticed that the gold band was missing from his finger.

"I took it off the night that you killed him. I realised that the only reason I was still wearing it was to remind me why I hated Red John and with him gone, there was no reason."

"So how are you making money now-a-days?"

"Fake psychic again." If anyone had saw them sitting at this little table, they would assume that they were a couple by the way they were laughing and looking at each other.

She couldn't believe what she was about to say, so blurted it out, "Why not come back to the CBI? Minelli would probably punish you for deserting us at first but he would get over it. And our great conviction rate has gone down hill since you went so you could bring us back from the grave."

"Do you mean that? I thought you would never want me back."

"Well it's not just me, the rest of the guys are always saying 'Where's Jane when we need him' because we get nowhere with cases."

"If you're really sure, then okay." He looked like an excited schoolboy with his silly, charming grin.

"First thing Monday morning. If you're not there, I'll know you don't really care about me or the team."

"Oh I'll be there. Is there any new rules I should be aware of...Senior Agents not allowed sexual relationships with consultants?"

"You are as incredulous as ever aren't you?! No new rules but I'm sure they'll make some up when they see that you're back."

So Monday morning came and when Lisbon walked into the bullpen at six o'clock she didn't even look at the couch, instead she went straight to her office. She had stopped looking about six months after Jane left, knowing that he wasn't going to appear just like that.

Jane meanwhile _was_ lying on the couch and had been surprised when Lisbon hadn't even gazed in his direction. Did she have so little faith in him? Then he heard her laugh at his note that he had put on her desk at five in the morning, he had missed that sound so much.

_Teresa,  
Here's the stack of complaint forms that you'll need for the first week of me being back. I've already had an argument with Minelli but he's fine about me being back, now.  
Love, Patrick x_

He walked into her office just as she was getting ready to call to him, "Jane please tell me you haven't hypnotised Minelli into agreeing to you coming back!"

"Okay Teresa I have not hypnotised him." She didn't believe him so raised an eyebrow, ready to describe why hypnotism was so immoral. She hadn't felt the need to raise an eyebrow for two whole years and Jane could see that, it wasn't as high as he was used to, so he giggled a bit. Lisbon hadn't lost her way at glaring though and in the back of Jane's mind, he was slightly scared of the small woman sitting in front of him.

"Good to have you back Jane."

"Great to be back Teresa!" She noted that he was referring to her by her first name rather than her surname more than normal, but she didn't mind. He went back into the bullpen just as Cho was arriving, Rigsby and Van Pelt came in together a little later. All were shocked that Jane was back because Lisbon hadn't breathed a word about her offer to anyone, in case he had chose not to show up.

After about an hour of doing paper work Special Agent Teresa Lisbon let out a deep sigh, she had just had her first daydream starring Patrick Jane in two years and she had to face up to the fact that he was back so she would be doing this a whole lot more. But there was the slightest chance that he might feel something for her this time around, he seemed to be getting over his wife and daughter quite well and his smiles looked more convincing than they had before. And he had wrote _love_ and put a kiss on the note. She had missed him and as she stood up and left her office, she was ready to start again with the blond haired, cute, pain in the ass consultant, who had already claimed back _his _chair.

**The End.**


End file.
